Poorer Scots 'fail to reach higher education'

THE education secretary has defended the SNP's record on higher education after a new report suggested there are fewer students from poorer families in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK.

Statistics in a new report show that just one in four undergraduates north of the border came from a less well off home.

But education secretary Michael Russell claimed that "participation rates are increasing" due to the government's abolition of tuition fees.

Mr Russell was forced onto the defensive after the Universities UK report revealed just 28.1 per cent of students in Scotland in 2008-9 were from lower social economic groups such as shop workers, compared to 32.4 per cent for England and 32.5 per cent for Wales - where tuition fees are still in place. Labour's higher education spokeswoman, Claire Baker, said: "This report clearly reveals that despite the SNP's decision to get rid of a graduate contribution, Scotland is the worst in the UK when it comes to widening access to university. The SNP's failure to tackle widening access to higher education and deal with the main concerns of students is becoming very clear."